Sequencing
Basicfirst → next → then → finally。
- Four order words: First → Next → Then → Finally.
- Circle the order words and the sequence appears.
- Without order words, reason it out with common sense.
文體小知識：Order of events.
§Text Passage
1How to Make a Cup of Tea. Making tea is easy if you follow the right sequence. First, boil some water in a kettle. Next, put a tea bag in your cup. While the water is boiling, warm your cup with a little hot water and pour it away. A clear glass cup is the best because you can watch the colour change.
2Then, pour the hot water over the tea bag and wait for three minutes. Do not press the tea bag, or the tea will taste bitter. After that, take the tea bag out and put it on a small plate. Add some milk or sugar if you like, but taste it first. Finally, stir the tea gently with a spoon and enjoy the lovely smell.
3Before you drink, let the tea cool for a minute, or you may burn your tongue. Now you can enjoy your tea with some biscuits. Remember not to use too much milk. Each step is simple, but the order matters. If you practise a few times, you can make tea for your family. They will say, 'What a helpful child!'
§Sentence-by-sentence translation Sentence-by-sentence translation
How to Make a Cup of Tea.
怎樣沖一杯茶。
Making tea is easy if you follow the right sequence.
只要按照正確次序，沖茶一點都不難。
First, boil some water in a kettle.
首先，用水煲煲滾一些水。
Next, put a tea bag in your cup.
接著，放一個茶包進杯裡。
While the water is boiling, warm your cup with a little hot water and pour it away.
煲水的時候，可以先用一點熱水暖一暖杯子，然後把水倒掉。
A clear glass cup is the best because you can watch the colour change.
用透明玻璃杯最好，因為可以看着茶色變化。
Then, pour the hot water over the tea bag and wait for three minutes.
然後，將熱水倒在茶包上，等三分鐘。
Do not press the tea bag, or the tea will taste bitter.
不要壓茶包，否則茶會苦。
After that, take the tea bag out and put it on a small plate.
之後，拿起茶包，放在小碟子上。
Add some milk or sugar if you like, but taste it first.
喜歡的話可以加奶或者糖，不過要先試味。
Finally, stir the tea gently with a spoon and enjoy the lovely smell.
最後，用匙羹輕輕攪拌，聞一聞香噴噴的茶香。
Before you drink, let the tea cool for a minute, or you may burn your tongue.
喝之前，等茶涼一分鐘，否則會燙傷舌頭。
Now you can enjoy your tea with some biscuits.
現在你可以配着餅乾慢慢品茶。
Remember not to use too much milk.
記住不要加太多奶。
Each step is simple, but the order matters.
每個步驟都很簡單，但次序很重要。
If you practise a few times, you can make tea for your family.
只要練習幾次，你就可以沖茶給家人喝。
They will say, 'What a helpful child!'
他們一定會說：「你真是個樂於助人的好孩子！」
1Summary 重點摘要
first → next → then → finally。
2Vocabulary cards Vocabulary
At start.
Then.
After.
At end.
Following.
Prior.
Order.
Stage.
3Step by step Steps
- StartBegin an account with First, as in First, boil the water. First sits at the front with a comma and marks step one; stories often open with time phrases such as One day or Last Sunday.
- MiddleLink the middle steps with Next, Then and After that. Example: Next, put a tea bag in the cup. Then pour the hot water. The words are interchangeable, but vary them so the writing does not sound repetitive.
- EndClose with Finally or In the end. Example: Finally, add the milk and enjoy. Finally signals the end of the process and answers First at the opening; what follows often carries a result or a feeling, as in Finally, everyone was happy.
- TipThe key skill for ordering questions is to circle the time and order words: first, next, then, after that, finally. Example: First, wash the rice. With the words circled, arrange the steps by logic; you will work faster and drop nothing.
- Real example: making teaTake making tea: First, boil the water. Next, put a tea bag in the cup. Then, pour the hot water. Finally, add the milk. The four sentences match start, middle, middle and end, so the order words and the actions line up perfectly.
- Reordering a mixed listWhen a question jumbles the steps, circle the order word in each sentence and lay them out from First to Finally. Example: seeing Then pour the hot water tells you it comes after boiling the water. Where a word is missing, use common sense: no boiling water, no tea.
5Worked example Example
Question: Four tea-making steps are jumbled. How do we put them back in the correct order?
- Step 1: Circle the order word in each sentence — first, next, then, finally — to see which lines carry hints.
- Step 2: Where a word is missing, use common sense — you cannot make tea before the water boils, so logic decides.
- Step 3: Place the opening step — First, boil the water. Boiling the water starts the whole process.
- Step 4: Order the middle steps — Next, put a tea bag in the cup. Then pour the hot water. The bag goes in before the water is poured.
- Step 5: Place the last step — Finally, add the milk and enjoy. Adding the milk closes the process.
- Answer: Correct order: First, boil the water. Next, put a tea bag in the cup. Then pour the hot water. Finally, add the milk and enjoy. The four sentences chain with First, Next, Then and Finally: boil, add the bag, pour, and finish with milk.
6Common mistakes Mistakes
7Quick check Quick check
Q1Order words?
Q2finally?
Q3first?
Q4before/after?
Q5How to order?
Q6step?
Q7What is first?
Q8What is next?
Q9What is finally?
8Recap Recap
- Four order words: First → Next → Then → Finally.
- Circle the order words and the sequence appears.
- Without order words, reason it out with common sense.
- While and after are time clues too: While the water is boiling...
- Read the whole sequence through to check.